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Strategy.
Where you play the ball, when, and how will come with experience. To gain experience try to get in as many games as possible. Whether it's small sided games, two on two or three on three to little goals (two bags, two feet apart) that act as the goals or eleven versus eleven: these types of competitive games will improve your one and two touch soccer and make quick decisions. Of course, real eleven versus eleven games are ideal - there is always a different feeling surrounding an actually game.
Often the pace of the game will dictate where you play the ball. If you play a good team and you are constantly put under pressure you will be forced to play the ball quickly. This will only make you a better player as you get older, so try to play at a game like intensity all the time. Don't do things that you know you wouldn't get away with if you were playing a good team.
Overall, the key to playing good soccer is keeping the ball moving by playing one and two touch soccer - passing and moving off the ball. The ability to do this goes back to a good first touch, using your body to shield the ball, and knowing what you want to do with the ball before you get it. In a way soccer is about getting the ball into the right person's feet; the one who has the most time and space (faces the least pressure) and is in the most advantageous position to score or make that goal scoring pass.
Spread out on offense and become a compact unit on defense. On offense, use the entire field to open up the defense and create gaps and spaces to attack. On, defense you want to do the opposite, stay compact as a team unit and defend with numbers. For instance, if the opponent is attacking down the right side, then the far right midfielder can move into the middle and help out since the player on the far side is not as dangerous as those attacking with the ball. Of course, he or she must still be aware of the player they are marking, but they can gamble in a sense, and keep their eye on the ball and the wide player and help clog the middle and intercept passes. If the opposition makes a long pass to the far left winger he or she must be able to track down the player and then the whole team will have to shift positions to the right side. If you gauge it right, you should be able to arrive before the player as time to control the ball and attack down the line.
On offense, to open up spaces in the opposing teams defense, the key rule that you can follow is keep the ball moving. Let the ball do the work. Play the ball into the forwards feet, then they lay it back to the midfielder who plays the ball wide. The wide midfielder then tries to get a cross in or switches the ball back to the other side where there is more space.Â
Draw the defense out by playing the ball into the forward, and if he or she is covered they can lay the ball back to a midfielder or lay the ball off to someone making a run through towards the goal. Your intention, when you play the ball to the forward who is tightly marked is to draw the defense into this player, once the forward gets a touch on the ball and holds the ball up with a touch or two, you (the midfielder) can get the ball back and play another player through who is now becomes open, since the defense has collapsed in a sense around the forward or shifted their focus on the forward.
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A number of ideas have probably been repeated throughout this site and these themes are what should guide you as a player. Â
Here again are the key themes of this site:
1. Keep the ball moving with one or two touches.
2. Change of pace after making a move to beat a player on the dribble.
3. Keep the ball out of your feet when controlling the ball.
4. Play the ball with pace; make a crisp solid pass, whether it is a 10 yard pass or 20 yards.
5. Get the cross in.
6. Take shots.
7. When dribbling, touch the ball with every step you take. To ensure close control and enhance your ability to cut the ball away from defenders.Â
8. Play the ball and move.
9. Give it and get it back.
10. Always want the ball.
You should also add to the above short list: spend time with the ball on your own, whether it is practicing your dribbling moves, juggling, or striking the ball against a wall - with both feet.
Back to strategy.
In terms of style of play, selfish play becomes contagious. When someone is dribbling all the time, others will pick that up and do it themselves. The great thing about soccer is that this will usually correct itself because the game doesn't allow you to play that way. The team that moves the ball around and shares the ball the most, makes things the easiest for themselves and will have the most scoring opportunities. If you play selfish soccer you will not be successful in the long run.
Additionally, before you play the ball, when picking out a player for a longer pass or serving the ball in from a long distance you should have a plan in your mind of what is going to take place next. The player you are making the pass to should have someone to lay the ball off to, or you yourself should support the pass if nobody is available, as when a defender drives the ball into a forward who lays the ball back to another midfielder. Picture a series of plays that are going to take place when sending a long ball or starting a play. Try to always think of where the ball should go
next. You want to play the ball to your teammates left foot for instance if they have someone covering their right side. You want to lead your teammate with a pass that puts them in the best possible scenario to make the next successful play or pass. If they are making a run through on goal you want to put the right pace on the ball so they don't have to break their stride.
Again, the key's are to play the ball hard, to pass and move, essentially to play and follow your pass or to give it and get it, and to always want the ball or put yourself in a position to receive the ball and make a play. If you are not going to get the ball then make a run to receive the ball or take a defender away with you and open up space for a teammate.
Making Runs.
Playing and moving covers the basic idea behind making runs, but the important thing to remember is to make these runs dangerous and make runs that lead to goal scoring opportunities or open up space for your teammate. Make a run in behind the defense for instance, and then if that is not on, check back to the ball, get the ball and lay it off and then make that run behind the defender again, so the midfielder can chip or loft the ball to you in the air. Or if the midfielder on the left side has the ball you as the center midfielder can make a run down the line to receive the ball or open up space for the left sided midfielder to take his opponent on the dribble and move into the open space in the middle.
Quick reminder:Â When going at a defender on the dribble - make the defender commit to you and then lay the ball off.
Another example could be where the center midfielder has the ball and is dribbling towards the right. The right winger or midfielder can break down the sideline to receive the ball and if he or she is covered check back to the center midfielder receive the ball, see if there is an opportunity to take the defender on, if not, lay it back to the center midfielder and break down the line again to receive the ball. Or the center midfielder can make an overlapping run. Or the right sided midfielder can play a one two with the forward who is posting up. There are always numerous options if everyone on the field is looking to put themselves into position to receive the ball and help one another out.
To execute these types of exchanges, whether a give and go or overlap you need to lead the defense into believe you are going a different direction, keep them on their heels, and lay the ball off at the right time. You can always start over. If one side of the field is too clogged up and crowded then switch the ball to the other side. Or it could be two square exchanges of the ball and then on the third pass someone breaks into the open space to receive the ball. Or starting over can mean making a run to get yourself open. Darting down the line and checking back to get the ball. Making an angled run into the middle and then checking to the outside.
Essentially, this is making space for yourself by taking the defender with you into the middle and then breaking to the outside. Draw the defender away from the space you want to receive the ball in - and then check back into the space you just opened up. It could even just be walking five yards towards the sideline and then breaking back to the middle. Check back to the ball at an angle, not running straight back to the ball. This way you will have more space to turn and see the field, your body is already half turned if you check back at an angle.
Give and go or wall pass.
The basis for all of soccer in a way. The key is setting up your defender. You almost need to sucker the defender towards you, as though he or she is going to be able to intercept the ball, then give it and go - accelerating into the open space to receive the return pass.
The cross over exchange.
This is where you dribble the ball towards a teammate and exchange the ball with them. You can also fake the exchange and keep the ball if the defender has read the play. You exchange the ball with same feet as your teammate. Meaning, that if the player dribbling is using his or her right foot then their teammate will pick the ball up with their right foot, since they are coming in the opposite direction. This enables you to shield the ball from the defender with your body.Â
Exchanging positioning.
This is another good way to open up space for a team-mate and confuse the opposition. An outside midfielder can exchange positions with a center midfielder for example, if during the game, they end up in close proximity when making a run or when exchanging the ball. The outside midfielder makes a run into the middle, receives the ball, makes a pass to the forward who holds the ball and then lays it back to the outside midfielder who sends it down the line where the center midfielder has made a run. This kind of movement can take place all over the field during a game. Although it is important to fall back into your position or make sure each position is covered, and your team shape intact. Again, change of pace is the key, even when making run. A slow jog (away from where you want to go or disguised by moving into a different position) and then a quick movement towards the area where you want the ball. You need to bring the defender away from where you want the ball played. Pushing up the field so you can break back towards the ball - if the defender follows you. Bring him or her back to the ball, so you can break in behind him or her when your team-mate plays the ball through and behind the defense.
Back Door.
Make an exaggerated move back to the ball a few steps and then break away to receive the ball behind the defender who has now overcommitted to the play since he or she thought you were going to receive the ball in front of you.
Team Shape.
Expand on offence and close in on defense. On defense you want to become a compact unit - enclosing the area where your opponent has possession of the ball, making it difficult for them to make a pass. You will have enough time to reach an opponent if they make a long pass if your positioned right and open to the field to read the play. Then on offence you want to become big and use all of the available space on the field. It's more difficult for the opposition to cover a team that uses all of the space on the field rather than one that doesn't require them to move and cover the whole field.
This is why it is good to switch play and keep the ball moving on offense - so your opponent cannot close down your space and make it difficult for you to make a pass. By moving the ball laterally you can find time and space and pick out a team-mate in a goal scoring or more advantageous position.
Creating Space.
Movement and more movement, whether interchanging positions with other players or checking in to space and then out. You first make a run to where you don't want the ball, let's say a ten yard run towards the sideline so you can create space in the middle for you or another player.
Serving the ball in.
Often you can target a player and drive the ball in to a player, most likely a forward. The important thing to keep in mind, as almost always, is playing the ball at the appropriate pace. You can't serve the ball in to a player from thirty yards away without striking the ball crisply and solidly. If you send in a soft lofted ball it is likely to get cut out or intercepted by a defender. A crisp pass is also easier to control and redirect the ball to another player. It is in this way that you should play soccer: see the next play that should take place before you make a pass.
Attack Quickly
Attack quickly when there's an advantage or an opportunity. Don't hesitate. Try to keep the ball moving as quickly as possible. If there's a chance to break - then break with a few precise and crisp paces.
Angled Passes.
Dribble down the line and cut the ball sharply to an open teammate in the middle. So, say you are a wide midfielder, you feint like you are going to take the ball down the line. You are on the left side dribbling with your left so your body is protecting the ball and if the defender tries to poke the ball away you will get a throw-in. But you dribble at pace down the line and then pass the ball squarely to a midfielder or a forward who is checking back.
Dribble across the field, cutting in, and chop the ball out wide just as a defender approaches. In both cases, waiting until the last minute to release the ball. Also, the key is making the defense think you are going to do one thing but do the opposite. Selling like you are going to dribble down the line or as though you are cutting across the middle of the field.
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